Written by

Maureen Wallenfang

Post-Crescent Media

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit fired up its smoker for a test run Sunday in Darboy and will be ready to start serving up its Texas-style smoked meats to the public starting Thursday.

The locally owned franchise of the Dallas-based Dickey’s is at W3192 County KK in Buchanan, in the strip mall immediately east of Kohl’s. The restaurant took the former Bela Bakery & Cafe space and transformed it with rustic reclaimed barn board, corrugated metal, blue and white checkerboard tablecloths and country music.

Owner/operator Anthony Falbo, a Greenville resident, is planning on three days of festivities to introduce Dickey’s to the Fox Cities. This is the seventh Dickey’s to open in the state and one of 325 around the country.

Falbo has degrees in both law enforcement and graphic design, but when he got a grill for a wedding present, he was quickly hooked on barbecue. “I bought eight smokers in the next year,” he said. After eating at a Dickey’s in Kenosha, he picked up a card and three weeks later applied for a franchise.

His investment of about $200,000 included purchase of the massive Ole Hickory smoker with 12 racks. “We can do upwards of 800 pounds of meat at one time,” he said.

“Our barbecue is far less saucy than you’d have in North Carolina or even here in Wisconsin. Texas barbecue is about the meat and the dry rub seasonings. It’s letting the meat taste like meat rather than a barbecue sauce,” he said.

On the menu: beef brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, polish or spicy cheddar sausages, chicken, ham and turkey. Customers can order by the plate, sandwich or pound at the counter. An average meal ticket is $9. Kids meals are $4.95, and on Sunday kids ages 12 and under eat free, with one free child’s meal per adult meal purchase.

Falbo expects catering to be big. “It could be 15 to 18 percent of my business. Here in Wisconsin, we have outdoor weddings and barn receptions, Packers games, family reunions and high school events.”

Thursday through Saturday, Dickey’s will have a ribbon cutting, pop-up giveaways, radio promotion and tastings. On Saturday around 1:30 p.m., Falbo will draw three winners names for free barbecue for a year. You must be present to win.